What has to be remembered and applied during your personal training in Daoist self-cultivation (that builds health and prolongs life) is that a constant and enduring effort must always be made in the direction of the attainment of the objective. This requires both psychological and physical strength that is focused and refined, and which does not allow for weakness or negativity of any kind. However, although this is an absolutely crucial attribute for any student of the Dao, it is also (and equally) important for the student to learn from a Daoist master who has already achieved a complete and thorough realisation of the True Reality of the Dao. This is required because a sincere Daoist student needs to be clearly shown the right direction to take in their self-cultivation, and the right method to employ at the appropriate time in their development. The correct path in the Dao is crucial, whilst taking the wrong path can be disastrous. The enlightened master conveys in words the true reality that he or she has realised through their minds and bodies during their effective and correct self-cultivation – as they clearly express with their mouths what they knew in their minds to be true.

Three years ago a 27 year old person from Macau came to visit me at the Qianfeng Hermitage in Beijing. He had pursued the qi energy centre self-cultivation techniques as taught with philosophical Daoism, but despite years of study, his efforts had never hit the mark due to a lack of knowledgeable instruction from a qualified teacher. Although he was very young, I sensed that he was very sincere in his training and had a natural affinity to the Daoist path and so I naturally helped him on his journey. We explored the prenatal qi teachings, and examined the correct technique. Through this I saw that he lacked a strong ancestral qi energy flow, and so I instructed him in self-cultivation exercises that built his essential inner strength overtime. This young man listened very carefully to the instructions I gave him, and went away to diligently study the Qianfeng method for around a year, during which he kept in constant contact with me. At the end of this time period his inner and outer health and strength had dramatically increased and he returned to the Qianfeng Hermitage and lit incense at the Zhao family shrine. Here he took the oath to ‘enter the gates of the Qianfeng Prenatal School and pursue its self-cultivation methods to completion’. Two years have passed since he formally became a Qianfeng disciple, and his training has continued to strengthen day by day, and he has attained to a remarkable degree of understanding. I relayed a saying which states: ‘Essential energy self-cultivation is destined to work without fail. One day of effort equals one day without chaos. When the ten thousand things are abandoned the mind is already peaceful.’ I added with a smile: ‘Where there is greed the qi energy rises into the chest, and the natural curvature of the spine is lost creating disunity in the mind and body. This is human nature too!’

It is my sincere hope that everyone living in the mundane world of dust can start their self-cultivation by calming the mind and opening the eight major qi energy channels that run throughout the body. If you can remain permanently determined self-cultivation will not be difficult. However, if self-determination is lacking, self-cultivation will be weak as it lacks the appropriate level of qi energy in mind and body. This type of committed energy, when generated is sufficient in and of itself, and then we can follow the example of Tian Jie Zi (天杰子) mentioned above, and dramatically improve our health and chances for a long and peaceful life.